8 FARMERS' BULLETIN 822. 



royal purple for champions. In nearly all cases the ribbon is suffi- 

 cient for champion animals. This enables the county-fair officials 

 to give more money on the remainder of the classifications. 



Some of the classifications suggested later do not contain classes 

 for certain groups of animals commonly shown at large fairs. While 

 prizes for such classes have a value where competition is strong 

 among professional breeders, it is believed that smaller fairs can give 

 more encouragement to beginners and small breeders by using most 

 of the money offered on a breed for increasing the number and value 

 of prizes in the single classes. 



At some fairs sweepstakes prizes are given. This involves the 

 showing of animals of different types or breeds, as beef and dairy 

 animals, in the same class. The placing of such classes very seldom 

 gives satisfaction, and under no conditions is such a classification 

 advisable. 



CLASSIFICATIONS. 



The following classifications, are general and can be varied to suit 

 local conditions. It must be kept in mind, however, that animals 

 which are of different types that is, used for different purposes 

 should not be classified or shown together. The light breeds of horses 

 should not be shown with the draft breeds, the lard type of swine 

 with the bacon type, etc. These are common errors of county fair 

 classifications. If the number of animals exhibited is small, the dif- 

 ferent breeds of the same type of animals may be shown together, 

 such as the breeds of mutton sheep, the breeds of beef cattle, etc., 

 and, if necessary, the classification by ages may be reduced. 



BEEF CATTLE. 



The ages of cattle should be dated from September 1. Thus, all 

 cattle born after September 1 in any year may be shown in the 

 under-one-year classes for the remainder of that year and during all 

 the next year. Such cattle would then be shown in the under-two- 

 year classes during the year following, and so on. If more prizes 

 are to be given than is indicated in the classifications which follow, 

 two classes may be made for the calves and for yearlings. These are 

 known as the juniors and seniors. The juniors consist of all animals 

 born between January 1 and August 31, and the seniors consist of all 

 animals born between September 1 and December 31, inclusive. For 

 instance, a calf born on September 1 of the present year and shown 

 in the fall of next year would be a senior calf, while one born Janu- 

 ary 1 of next year and shown at the same time would be classed as 

 a junior calf. The same dates hold for the junior and senior year- 

 lings. There may be junior and senior classes for both bulls and 

 heifers. 



